Move : Choreographing You

For my final project at LCF I am taking a look at the way movement is represented within photography. Within this topic I want to look at films (including fashion), the way designers use fabric to emphasise movement, natural movements (i.e body, growth, elements) and I also want to look at ways of capturing movement other than just the obvious.

My first research into movement lead myself and my friend Sophie to visit the Move: Choreographing You exhibition held at the Southbank Centre.

It was an interactive exhibition that had me climbing through hoops, spinning in over sized dog bowls and probably most humiliatingly, hula hooping unsuccessfully in front of a room of strangers. But that's not to say it wasn't a cultural experience, it was educational and interesting to look at the way people approached the different displays. Some were hesitant, some were simply bystanders, while others played with wild abandon. But at least you were involved in some way, whether as a participant or not you were becoming almost like living exhibits yourselves.

Was this an exhibition or a social experiment?

The hoops were my particular favourite to watch. Men approached with a determination to treat this as some sort of endurance test, where-as women (such as myself) approached with caution and just about managed to swing and thrash around a little before deciding that the ground was in fact a more sensible destination.



Next up was a small video section entitles Move: Archive, this section included various medias varying from photography, choreographed dance pieces to abstract performances. I was inspired particularly by this section and once video in particular:

Ana Mendieta, Blood Sign #2.

There is just something quite raw about her movements that I found inspiring. I like the fact that its quiet ambiguous, it leads you to question what is going on? Has she making a statement about something? blood on her hands = fur protest? war? guilt?

 

OK, this attendant was more than a little helpful! As soon as myself and Sophie arrived at this particular section of the exhibit, this cheerful chappy became our very own personal photographer. He had us spinning around on the giant dog bowl thing, beating our stress out on an unfortunate dummy and posing nonchalantly together on a white dome structure.

And last but not least was my pathetic attempt at hula hooping and Sophie's massive showing off by hula hooping two at a time!